Cryptolocker: 5 Ways To Defend Against Ransomware Threats

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Cryptolocker is making headlines for encrypting data and holding it ransom, but leaving some victims in the lurch despite paying out to regain access to their files. It uses strong encryption, making it next to impossible to crack.

Solution providers told CRN that they are advising clients to first focus on basic security measures and then offering to assess the adequacy and configuration of existing security systems. Addressing ways to reduce the risk of a crippling Cryptolocker infection can thwart other malware threats like it, they say.

The cybercriminals behind the extortion threat, which spreads through email phishing attacks, recently increased the fee to unlock the data the ransomware encrypts from approximately $200 worth of Bitcoins, a digital currency, to about $2,000 worth of Bitcoins, according to Malwarebytes researcher Jerome Segura, who has been monitoring the threat. Here are five security measures that could be taken to reduce the risk of an infection.